Valentin Bianchi 2014 “Famiglia Bianchi” Malbec, Mendoza
Valentin Bianchi is an old-school Argentinian winery that was founded in the 1920s. It’s one of the brands you see everywhere in Buenos Aires but rarely outside the country.This is a …
Mendoza
Crios 2013 “Limited Edition” Tannat, Mendoza
Tannat originally hails from France, grown mostly in Madiran. The wine it produces is always tannic and often primitive. The grape is also widely planted in South America, with Uruguay at the epicenter. …
Marchiori and Barraud 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendoza
Paul Hobbs Paul Hobbs without Paul Hobbs? Let’s talk a bit about Paul. He is one of the most celebrated Napa winemakers alive today: he worked for Mondavi and was on …
Familia Zuccardi 2013 “Q” Malbec, Mendoza
Zuccardi is a rock-solid winery in Argentina. This wine has been evolving vintage by vintage. I love how Zuccardi is pulling away from the “Melted Chocolate and Licorice” profile that has …
Altocedro 2012 Malbec Reserva
A bold, full-bodied wine with lots of complexity. Aromas of smoky oak, vanilla, cola, black cherry, and spice. The palate pushes into mocha and cinnamon territory with a draping of dark …
Finca Flichman 2013 “Paisaje de Barrancas” Mendoza
This is a growling beast of a wine, trained from birth to dominate the dining room table and chew up any wine glass it is poured into. The nose is oak-dominant …
Luigi Bosca 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Mendoza
A remarkable value for Cabernet Sauvignon. When buying wines from Mendoza, it’s best to know where in the region the wine is from. After all, Mendoza is HUGE. This bottle comes …
Bodega Goulart 2010 “The Marshall” Malbec
This wine is a bit of Argentine history. Gastao Goulart originally planted the Bodega Goulart vineyard in 1915 to Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. At the time, he was a Brazilian political …
Clos de los Siete 2009, Mendoza (Argentina)
Clos de Los Siete is a spectacle at the edge of the world. It consists of five great chateaus on the edge of Argentina, close to the Andes Mountains. Each of …
Mendoza Vineyards 2011 “1907” Malbec, Mendoza
Sometimes writing up a wine adds more questions than it answers. First of all, who is the winery? Mendoza Vineyards is the winery on record, but they are a logistics and …
Durigutti 2010 Cabernet Franc Reserva, Mendoza
I am thrilled to see a bottle of Cabernet Franc coming out of Argentina. This grape varietal is grown in limited quantities in South America, and it’s mostly used in blends. …
Bodega Benegas 2009 Don Tiburcio, Mendoza
The Benegas is the founding family of the wine trade in Argentina. Tiburcio Benegas founded the Trapiche winery in the late 19th century. By the 1970s, the family had sold off all their …
Reginato 2011 Chaman
In Argentina, a chaman is a witch doctor. Is this a witchy wine? I am not sure, but it is a fine wine and a surprising departure for the Reginato clan. …
Calamaco 2010 Reserva Malbec
At first, very quiet, the flavors expand like a peacock. It is increasingly fun and rich. It brings eucalyptus and mocha first, then crushed blackberries with a wave of soft round …
Zuccardi 2008 “Q Series” Tempranillo, Mendoza
It smells like a little coffee house on fire, but without the hipsters. Yes, that’s a good thing. This bottle is all about the oak. Full-bodied, the wine sports a round, …
Goulart 2007 “The Marshall” Malbec
From Lujan de Cuyo, one of Mendoza’s prime locations, comes this powerful red that works both independently or with manly-man food like steak or short ribs. Protein! Beefcake!